EU: Guy Verhofstadt calls to ‘reconsider’ Nord Stream 2
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This comes as European gas prices have skyrocketed to record highs and have prompted fears of gas crisis across the EU. Along with a cold winter and weak winds to power turbines, a large part of gas shortages have been a result of Vladimir Putin’s gas squeeze on the bloc as he awaits approval of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline. German Chancellor Angela Merkel and President Putin agreed on deal that would see Russia transit gas through the Baltic Sea, bypassing Ukraine and Poland.
In the hope of avoiding EU rules applying to the system, and to speed up approval from German regulators, analysts believe Mr Putin ordered gas flow to be restricted into other pipelines.
Russia will reportedly only up the gas supplies if Germany and the EU approve the pipeline.
Mr Putin previously denied claims he is using Nord Stream 2 as a geopolitical tool, denying he held some responsibility for Europe’s gas crunch.
Speaking to a major energy conference, he said: “Even during the hardest parts of the Cold War, Russia regularly has fulfilled its contractual obligations and supplies gas to Europe.
“Russia is not using any weapons. Which conflicts are we taking part in?”
Konstantin Kosachyov, pro-Kremlin legislator in the upper house of parliament, agreed with Mr Putin.
He said: “We’re fulfilling all our contracts, all our obligations. Everything on top of that should be a subject for additional voluntary and mutually beneficial agreements.”
But Mr Kosachyov also signalled Russia will not ‘”rescue” Europe from the gas crisis they face.
He said: “We cannot ride to the rescue just to compensate for mistakes that we didn’t commit.”
The comments also come after Mr Putin u-turned on a promise to meet contractual supply obligations and discuss additional actions and cooperation with its European partners.
He has now suggested he will only boost supplies if Nord Stream 2 comes into operation.
At the energy conference, Mr Putin said: “If we could increase deliveries through this route, this would substantially ease tension on the European energy market.
“However, we cannot do this so far because of the administrative barriers.”
This week, the Kremlin also signalled Ukraine won’t be receiving additional quantities of gas next month despite fears of an energy crunch.
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But while Russia has agreed to send limit supplies to Poland instead, daily flows of gas in Europe dropped again in October.
Mr Putin’s latest moves have outraged the Josep Borrell, EU’s foreign policy chief, as the bloc scrambles to resolve the crisis.
On Monday, Mr Borrell slammed Mr Putin for the “deep geopolitical roots” of the pipeline.
He said: “The increase in prices for energy has deep geopolitical roots. It’s part of a geopolitical battle.
“Russia has honoured all its contracts, it cannot be said that they are not delivering when they said they would, but it has not increased the quantities contracted for.”
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